(Wilmington, DE 19802) Yesterday, (Feb 27) patrol officers from the New Castle County Division of Police were dispatched to the Paladin Club Apartments in reference to a vehicle theft that had just occurred.

When the first officers arrived, they saw a vehicle that matched the description of the stolen vehicle driving through the complex.  The officers activated their emergency equipment and the vehicle slowed. Before the vehicle came to a stop, the driver got out and ran.  The driverless vehicle then drifted into a fully marked patrol car.

A perimeter was set up and the suspect was apprehended in a neighboring complex, Colony North Apartments.

Detectives from the New Castle County Police Criminal Investigations Unit arrived on the scene and assumed the investigation.

The investigation revealed that the 12-year-old juvenile suspect called in a food order from a local Chinese Food Restaurant.  When the driver arrived, the juvenile waited until the driver was at the door of the apartment and then jumped into the delivery man’s vehicle and drove off.

No injuries were reported and both vehicles sustained minor damage.

The juvenile was taken into custody and transported to New Castle County Police Headquarters.  There he was arrested and charged with one count of felony Vehicle Theft, one count of misdemeanor Resisting Arrest, one count of Reckless Driving and one count of Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident.

He was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 11 and released to his parent on $1450 unsecured bail.

-###-